Ein Hanziv National Park/photo: Anat Geiger
The Valley of the Springs, also known as the Beit Shean Valley which changed its name in a marketing segment, contains about 40 springs and springs in one of the hottest areas in Israel in the summer.
Many are familiar with the saying of the aforementioned Rish Lakish about the region: "If heaven is in the land of Israel, it is a house where it opens", but I always say that because of the heat it is the opening of hell.
Among the most well-known water sources in the region is, of course, Nahal Hassi, which runs through Nir David, which made quite a bit of headlines due to the struggle to restore it to the public, which was also successful (although not in everyone's opinion).
But another popular source of water, which is considered one of the springs that most refreshes the locals and those who come from outside, is of course Ein Hanziv, also known as Ein Yehuda (in Arabic, Ein Umm al Amud), which is located right behind the entrance gate to Kibbutz Ein Hanziv, named after Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (Naziv of Volozhin).
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is the turquoise spring that "replaces" Nahal Hassi, and is open to everyone
The pool that attracted thousands of bathers became a national park.
The eye of the renewed commissioner/Anat Geiger
Development works in the National Park/Anat Geiger
The spring now also includes wading pools for children/Anat Geiger
A tough guard would greet the travelers
Ein Hanziv is a spring known for its turquoise water and large, deep pools, and over the years one of its hallmarks was a sort of "Tarzan" device of a rope tied to a pole from which they would jump into the water, as well as a wooden springboard. The spring became so popular that it attracted tens and hundreds Day hikers would spend hours in it, have a picnic and basically spend a whole day in one of the most wonderful springs in the north, surrounded by a thicket of reeds, date trees and poplars - which gave it the appearance of a wild jungle with a large, blue spring pool inside
. The gate of the kibbutz, as a stern guard would greet those entering and direct them to the left to the spring, lest they disturb the members of the religious kibbutz. The bathers mainly encountered a closed gate on Saturdays and holidays, for this is a Sabbath-keeping kibbutz whose residents did not take kindly, and rightly so, to the noise, The loud music and other nuisances, such as dirt and garbage left in the place.
So how do you leave the natural resource for the benefit of the public and along the way allow the members of the kibbutz to continue their peaceful lives? Certainly a familiar dilemma in the area, and the case in question reminds of Nir David, although here the story is different and the spring does not pass right between my houses the residents, similar to Nahal Hassi. In recent years, a number of solutions have been put forward to regulate Ein Hanziv, which will also allow access for bathers and, on the other hand, the continuation of the routine life of the kibbutzniks.
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To the full article
Wild jungle and deep pool.
This is how the commissioner's eye used to look/courtesy of those photographed, carolinasaarela Instagram
A thicket of reeds, date trees and poplars.
A hiker jumps into the pool in Ein Hanziv/Walla! NEWS system, Ofer Ya'akov
The "Tarzan" facility from which they would jump into the big pool/Walla! system, Ziv Reinstein
The place was declared a national park
The one who took the spring under its auspices is the Open Areas Preservation Fund Council which, together with the Nature and Parks Authority, began in 2015 preparing plans to declare the place a national park, and indeed it was declared as such in 2021. According to the Authority, the works in the field began according to a plan that takes into account the nature of the area and the place.
"In the first phase that was completed, quick work was carried out to remove safety hazards - pruning of dry branches and the removal of the bouncer that was there. Also, a fence was erected around the area of the spring for safety reasons," the RTG website says.
"In the first phase that ended, quick work was done to remove safety hazards"/Anat Geiger
The turquoise water of the spring was preserved in the restoration/Anat Geiger
The spring pool area was treated and restored, using natural and local vegetation/Anat Geiger
So what did they do instead?
The person who financed the project is the Israel Lands Authority, which allocated about 3.5 million shekels for the purpose of nurturing the environment of the spring located inside the national park.
In its considerations for the allocation of funds, the fund's management examined the contribution and accessibility of the project to the benefit of the public and the community, preservation and restoration of an ecosystem and biological diversity, the project's contribution to the preservation, cultivation and restoration of open spaces and heritage and cultural landscapes, accessibility and accessibility to the public, restoration of damaged areas and centers, the applicability of the project and systemic cooperation .
The development works carried out in recent years allow easy and safe access to the spring pool (until now bathers had to cross a dangerous road between the car park and the kibbutz gate), and allow safe entry into the water.
Also, the work was done to widen the stream in the eastern part, where part of it will be a wading place for small children and toddlers, and in the other part, the al-Gaat area for the preservation and restoration of local vegetation.
In addition, corners were established for picnics and spending time in nature, while preserving nature and the biodiversity that exists in the spring, by treating invasive vegetation on one side and planting local vegetation on the other.
It's nice to find out that while doing the work in the thicket that existed in the area, a fountain was also found that was preserved.
In the first stages of the development, the area of the national park was fenced and parking was arranged for visitors to the place (free of charge).
After that, the spring pool area was treated and restored, using natural and local vegetation and a grove for picnics, next to the entrance hall and the parking lot.
In addition, a lifeguard shelter and drinking collars were installed.
Cymbal sheds and benches for sitting were installed/Anat Geiger
Part of the complex will have an Al-Gaat area for the preservation and restoration of local vegetation/Anat Geiger
When is the estimated opening?
Entrance to the site will be for a fee
- it is not clear how much yet, but probably at the price of entrance to the National Park (NIS 20-30).
In addition, to protect the hearts of the secular travelers,
the national garden will be closed on Saturdays and holidays
, according to an agreement between the kibbutz and the Nature and Gardens Authority.
In any case, it is important to note
that the place is closed and has not yet opened to the public
, nor is it known when it will open.
It was supposed to open at the last Sukkot and was postponed.
But one has to assume that in the upcoming Passover, the warm spring holiday, since Passover falls this year at the end of April, we will already be able to immerse ourselves in Ein Hanziv again.
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